LSBA Latest News and Developments

Louisiana Bar Center to Close at 3 p.m. on Feb. 9

The Louisiana Bar Center will close at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 9, because of street closures and parking and traffic issues associated with the New Orleans Saints Super Bowl Parade scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. that day in the Central Business District. The Louisiana Bar Center is located directly on the parade route. Members visiting the office that day are encouraged to handle business as early as possible in the city to avoid being inconvenienced by these same concerns. The office will reopen for business at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Save the Dates for 2010 Annual Meeting, Summer School

The LSBA has chosen �Signed, Sealed, Delivered: We�re Yours� as the theme for the 2010 Annual Meeting, set for June 9-11 at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Destin, Fla. �Higher Ground� is the focus of the joint LSBA Summer School and Louisiana Judicial College, set for June 6-9, also at Sandestin. More information on both events will be available soon!

Election: Voting Complete; Results Being Counted

Second-round voting ended Feb. 8 for the First District Board of Governors race, the Second District Young Lawyers Section Council race and the three proposed amendments. Votes are being counted and results will be announced soon.

Nomination Deadline is Feb. 26 for 2010 LSBA Human Rights Award

The nomination deadline is Friday, Feb. 26, for the 2010 LSBA Human Rights Award, a newly established award recognizing outstanding efforts made by bar associations, law firms or law departments, attorneys or judges, courts or community organizations or individuals in promoting diversity in the legal profession. To review the award guidelines and to download a nomination form, go to: http://www.lsba.org/diversity; or e-mail LSBA Director of Member Outreach and Diversity Kelly McNeil Legier, kelly.legier@lsba.org.

Nomination Deadline is March 5 for Young Lawyers Section Awards

The nomination deadline is Friday, March 5, for the LSBA Young Lawyers Section�s 2010 awards: the Michaelle Pitard Wynne Professionalism Award, the Outstanding Young Lawyer Award, the Service to the Public Award, the Service to the Bar Award and the YLS Pro Bono Award. To review more information about the awards and to download a nomination form, http://www.lsba.org/2007yls/index.asp. For more information, contact Awards Committee Chair Jefferson B. Joyce at (318)325-3200 or e-mail jeff@crawjoy.com.

Message from LSBA President Kim M. Boyle: Chief Justice Improving Daily

The Louisiana Supreme Court reports that Chief Justice Catherine D. Kimball continues to progress in her recovery from a stroke she suffered on Jan. 10. After being released from ICU Jan. 13 and spending a short time in a private room, Chief Justice Kimball was discharged from Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge on Jan. 15. She was admitted to a rehabilitation hospital to begin post-stroke therapy and her condition improves daily. The Kimball family is thankful for all concern and prayers. In particular, Chief Justice Kimball and her family express their gratitude for the life-saving actions of Acadian Ambulance and her doctors and their teams at Our Lady of the Lake, especially Dr. Keith Hodge, Dr. Jon Olson, Dr. Dwayne Anderson and Dr. Scott Shuber. The family also thanks the Our Lady of the Lake team for the excellent care throughout her stay, with special thanks to John Paul Funes with the Our Lady of the Lake Foundation. On behalf of the LSBA, we are very pleased to learn of these positive developments and continue to send our thoughts and prayers to Chief Justice Kimball for a speedy recovery.

House Approves 11 Resolutions, Elects Liaison Committee at Midyear Meeting

The Louisiana State Bar Association�s (LSBA) House of Delegates approved 11 resolutions, voted down two others and tabled another at its Jan. 23 meeting. The House also seated the members of the House of Delegates Liaison Committee, assuming office in June 2010.

Among the 11 approved resolutions were five proposed by the LSBA�s Legislation Committee. The House approved proposals that:

� a full civics credit replace the current one-half civics credit and one-half free enterprise credit required to graduate from high school in Louisiana, while incorporating free enterprise concepts into the expanded civics curriculum (as amended);

� a comprehensive statewide study be conducted to review court costs in Louisiana and their impact on access to justice;

� the LSBA oppose the imposition and requirement of mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent offenses and support allowing elected judges and district attorneys to exercise their judgment in sentencing under the law based upon the unique facts of each individual case;

� the LSBA oppose the creation of special rules favoring subclasses of parties in certain types of cases in contravention of the Civil Code and Code of Civil Procedure, unless a clear case is made for these rules to produce a just result which could not be produced under the general codes; and

� the LSBA generally oppose granting of civil immunities, except in cases where the public policy sought to be favored is sufficiently important, the behavior sought to be encouraged is directly related to the policy, and the immunity is drawn as narrowly as possible to effect its purpose.

The House approved a resolution from the joint Right to Counsel and Access to Justice Language Access Subcommittee supporting the Language Access Guidelines for Louisiana courts. The guidelines are designed to guarantee competent interpretation of court proceedings and ensure compliance with federal civil rights laws.

The House approved the proposal from the Bar Governance Committee that the LSBA recommend to the Supreme Court amendment to the Supreme Court Rules XVII (governing admission to the Bar) and XIX (governing lawyer disciplinary enforcement) to allow for granting, under certain circumstances, certificates for limited practice as registered military legal assistance attorneys and, if approved by the court, subsequent implementation of corresponding amendments to the LSBA governing documents.

The House approved two proposals from the Right to Counsel Committee, including:

� in accordance with the committee�s recent study, support of reclassification of selected non-violent misdemeanor and municipal ordinances that do not impact public safety into petty offenses, carrying fine-only sentences to which the right to counsel does not attach; and

� support of the continued funding of all components of the criminal justice system and proposing opposition to any reduction in revenue to these stakeholders as a result of the reclassification of offenses.

The House also approved two resolutions from the Diversity Committee to increase the size of the committee to a chair (or chairs) and 20 members and to amend the committee�s mission statement to be consistent with the diversity statement adopted by the House in January 2008.

The House tabled a resolution from the Lawyers in Transition Committee to amend the Rules of Professional Conduct to allow for the appointment of �successor attorneys� to facilitate the transition of a lawyer�s clients to another lawyer should the original lawyer become deceased, disabled, missing for any reason, or is subject to discipline which prohibits him/her from engaging in the practice of law.

The House voted down two resolutions � one from the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization proposing that the House of Delegates recommend to the Louisiana Supreme Court the creation of real estate law as a new legal specialty area (amended); and the other from member Fernin F. Eaton proposing that the LSBA request the assistance of the Louisiana 1st Circuit Court of Appeal, the State Civil Service Commission, the Louisiana Supreme Court and the state�s law schools to either participate in or contribute assistance to a study group to issue several reports.

In other business, the House elected Robert A. Kutcher (representing the 24th Judicial District) as chair of the House of Delegates Liaison Committee for a one-year term beginning in June 2010. Joining him as committee members, also for one-year terms, are George B. Recile (representing the 24th Judicial District) and Michael B. Holmes (representing the 33rd Judicial District).

To review the full text of all resolutions, go to: www.lsba.org/2007InsideLSBA/HOD.asp.

Nomination Deadline is Feb. 12 for LBF�s Boisfontaine Trial Advocacy Award

The nomination deadline is Feb. 12 for the Louisiana Bar Foundation�s 2010 Curtis R. Boisfontaine Trial Advocacy Award. For more information, go to: http://www.raisingthebar.org/AboutTheFoundation/TrialAdvocacyAward.asp.

5th Circuit Court Sets March 15 as Date for Mandatory Electronic Case Filing

Pursuant to 5th Circuit Rule 25.2.1, the court established March 15 as the effective date for attorneys to use the Electronic Case Filing (ECF) program to file cases before the court. Unless excused for good cause, counsel must register as filing users under Rule 25.2.3 and comply with the court�s electronic filing standards, posted separately on the Web site, http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/cmecf. Attorneys must be admitted to practice in the 5th Circuit and are required to file an appearance form in each case they are involved in before making any electronic filings. Even if attorneys do not currently have a case before the court, the court recommends that all members of the 5th Circuit bar register now as 5th Circuit filing users. Go to the PACER Service Center Web site, http://www.pacer.psc.uscourts.gov/announcements/general/ea_filer.html, and select the �Register� link. There is no cost to register as a 5th Circuit filer with PACER.

Registration Open for March 5 Conclave on Diversity in the Legal Profession

Registration is now open for the third annual Conclave on Diversity in the Legal Profession. The March 5 event, with the theme �The Professional Workplace: Diagnosing the Issues and Finding the Cure,� will be conducted at the New Orleans Marriott at the Convention Center, 859 Convention Center Blvd. Participants may take advantage of the early-bird registration fee of $50 before Feb. 18 ($75 after that date). The event has been approved for 6.66 CLE hours (all professionalism hours). For more information on the event schedule and speakers, or to download a registration form or brochure, go to: http://www.lsba.org/diversity/DiversityConclave.asp.